News for
Haim Saban More at IMDbPro »

2006 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

10 articles from 2006

---

Media Mogul Saban Sells German Broadcaster for $4 Billion

15 December 2006 | From Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news

After orchestrating what analysts called a remarkable turnaround for the company, media mogul Haim Saban is selling ProSiebenSat, Germany's biggest broadcaster, to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Permira for $4 billion, Saban announced Thursday. The buyers are expected to merge the company with the giant SBS Broadcasting Group, a Luxembourg-based broadcaster, which they already control.

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Sale Of Univision Reported Closed

28 September 2006 | From Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news

Univision Communications shareholders on Wednesday narrowly approved the sale of the company to a private equity group headed by media mogul Haim Saban for $12.3 billion. Voting against the sale were Mexico City-based Televisa and Venezuela-based Venevision, two primary content providers for Univision who had previously attempted to buy the Spanish-language American network. The "yes" vote won by a 3 percent margin.

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Eisner Credits Sun Valley Conference for His Biggest Deals

13 July 2006 | From Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news

Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner disclosed Wednesday that the Allen & Company Sun Valley conference of media moguls was the setting for his two biggest deals as Disney chief, the acquisition of ABC and the Family Channel. In an interview with the New York Post, Eisner recalled that in 1995 he "arranged" to bump into Warren Buffett, then Capital Cities/ABC's majority shareholder, and company CEO Tom Murphy as the two were heading toward the golf course. "It all came together because the largest shareholder of ABC and the CEO of ABC were at the conference," Eisner said. "This was a moment in time." Likewise, he indicated, he was attending a cocktail party at Sun Valley in 2001 at which Rupert Murdoch and Haim Saban, the owners of Fox Family Channel were on hand. He said that he had discussed a deal to acquire the channel previously, but Sun Valley "pushed the momentum further." These days, Eisner told the Post, media execs attending the conference are focusing on how to adapt to the digital age. "The landscape of a decade from now will be completely different," he said.

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Mexico's Television May Launch New U.S. Network

6 July 2006 | From Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news

After failing to acquire Univision, the nation's largest Spanish-language broadcaster, Mexico's Grupo Televisa is now casting itself in the role of spoiler, maintaining that it has no intention to contribute its shares in Univision to the winning bidders, Umbrella Holdings, headed by media mogul Haim Saban. In an SEC filing, Televisa also said that not only is it considering selling its shares to another investor or group of investors, but that it is also considering starting a rival Spanish-language network. Currently Televisa supplies most of Univision's programming and has a contractual obligation to continue to do so until 2017. Today's (Thursday) Wall Street Journal reported that the company is still considering assembling a better bid than the one offered by Umbrella.

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Vaya Con Univision?

28 June 2006 | From Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news

Shares in Spanish-language Univision rose more than 6 percent Tuesday on word that the company's board had accepted a cash buyout by an investor group led by former media mogul Haim Saban reportedly worth $12.3 billion plus the assumption of $1.4 billion in debt. Meanwhile, analysts were speculating about what rival bidder Televisa might do after being edged out by the Saban group. Some speculated that it might attempt to make a significantly higher bid; others foresaw the Mexican broadcaster as selling its 11-percent stake in Univision and trying to set up a rival Spanish-language network. In a statement, the company said, "Notwithstanding our repeated offers to discuss all aspects of our proposal including price, Univision and its advisers refused to enter into any discussions with us after we submitted our initial bid. Given this action by Univision's board, Televisa has a number of alternatives it is considering."

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Saban Morphs Into Univision Buyer

27 June 2006 | From Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news

Univision has agreed to accept an offer for the company from an investors' group led by onetime entertainment mogul Haim Saban (who introduced Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and other kids shows to TV audiences), published reports said today (Tuesday). The reports said that the group had agreed to pay $36.25 per share in cash and assume $1.4 billion in debt. Inasmuch as the shares closed Monday at $32.03, the amount offered represented a premium of about 13 percent. The total value of the deal was put at $12.3 billion. However, today's Los Angeles Times observed that the deal could be challenged by a group headed by Mexican broadcaster Televisa, one of the current owners of Univision. The Times observed that two seats on the Univision board held by Televisa and Venezuela's Venevision voted against the deal. It said that the Televisa group had been prepared to raise its own offer for Univision and didn't learn that the Saban group had already done so until the Univision board meeting on Monday. Although he had hoped for a bid of around $40 per share, Univision Chairman Jerry Perenchio nevertheless called the deal "a blockbuster transaction" and said that it "reflects the extraordinary growth of the Hispanic population, Univision's unique bond with its community and our ability to deliver tremendous audiences to our mainstream advertising partners."

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Univision Sale Doubtful; Shares Fall

26 June 2006 | From Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news

Shares in Univision continued their downward slide today (Monday) as investors questioned whether the sale of the Spanish broadcaster would ever take place. At midday trading, shares were down 3 percent to $32. They have fallen about 10 percent since last Tuesday, the deadline that had been set for bids to be received. Since then several investors have dropped out of the bidding process. However, today's New York Times and the Wall Street Journal reported that the group led by Mexican broadcaster Televisa had reformed and submitted a new offer of $35.75 per share (about $11 billion total), well off the $40.00 per share that Univision chief Jerry Perenchio had reportedly set as the minimum he would entertain. Perenchio on Friday reportedly rejected a bid of $35.50 per share submitted by a group led by longtime entertainment mogul Haim Saban. The Wall Street Journal, citing a person familiar with the situation, said that the Saban group had no plans to submit a new bid.

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Uno Buyer for Univision

23 June 2006 | From Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news

A group headed by Mexico's Televisa that was expected to wind up as the winner in the bidding for Jerry Perenchio's Spanish-language Univision network suddenly came apart Thursday, with three investment firms breaking ranks with Televisa over the offer. Although Televisa is expected to put together another group of investors, Univision currently has only one formal offer on the table -- from a group headed by Haim Saban, which is said to have offered $35.00 per share for the company -- about its current market value -- or a total of slightly less than $11 billion. Univision is known to be seeking $12-13 billion. The Saban group's offer expires today (Friday). Analysts appeared divided in predicting whether Univision will now call off the sale.

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Univision Bidding in "Disarray," Say Reports

21 June 2006 | From Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news

A group of investors headed by Mexican broadcaster Televisa and Venezuelan broadcaster Venevision seeking to acquire Spanish-language network Univision is likely to face a challenge from other networks if its bid is accepted, published reports observed today (Wednesday). The reports noted that private-equity firms that are a part of the group are also part of a consortium called Valcon, which holds a majority stake in Dutch media giant VNU, the parent company of Nielsen Research, the principal ratings company. Today's (Wednesday) New York Post quoted sources close to the Univision sale as saying that rival bidders tipped off network executives to the potential conflict in the past few days. However, the principal rival, a group headed by onetime media mogul Haim Saban, includes Thomas H. Lee Partners, which is also part of the Valcon consortium. Meanwhile, today's New York Times reported that the Univision auction "was sent into disarray" when Televisa failed to submit a bid by Tuesday's deadline. (Univision, it noted, could waive the deadline.)

Permalink | Report a problem

---

Bids for Univision Expected Today

20 June 2006 | From Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news

At least two investor groups are expected to submit bids today (Tuesday) to acquire Jerry Perenchio's Spanish-language broadcasting company Univision, published reports indicated. One group is led by Mexican media giant Grupo Televisa SA and Venezuelan broadcaster Venevision. Both companies already own stakes in Univision and provide the company with a significant share of its program content. The other group is led by Haim Saban, the kids-TV producer (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) who sold most of his entertainment assets in 2001. Univision is the leading Spanish-language broadcaster in the U.S. and has seen its ratings soar in recent days as audiences in the Latino markets where it owns stations tune in in massive numbers to its World Cup coverage.

Permalink | Report a problem

---

2006 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

10 articles from 2006

---